Calibrachoa plant named ‘Sunbelriterra’

ABSTRACT

A new  calibrachoa  plant particularly distinguished by yellow flowers with reddish-purple splashed patterns, abundant branching with a great profusion of blooms, continuous flowering from spring to late fall, excellent tolerance to rain and high temperatures, and a vigorous, mounding plant habit is disclosed.

Genus and species: Calibrachoa sp.

Variety denomination: ‘Sunbelriterra’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofcalibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp., and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name ‘Sunbelriterra’. The new cultivaroriginated from a hybridization made in April 2002 in Higashiomi, Shiga,Japan. The female parent was the proprietary calibrachoa plant ‘20’(unpatented), while the male parent was the proprietary calibrachoaplant ‘35’ (unpatented).

The new cultivar was created in 2002 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and hasbeen asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings inHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The present invention has been found to retainits distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan.

-   -   1. Yellow flowers with reddish-purple splashed-patterns;    -   2. Abundant branching with a great profusion of blooms;    -   3. A vigorous and mounding plant habit;    -   4. Continuously blooms from spring to late fall; and    -   5. Excellent tolerance to rain and high temperatures.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

This new calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show overall plant habit including blooms, buds andfoliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonablyobtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photographs are ofa 4-month-old plants grown outdoors in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit, including blooms, buds andfoliage.

FIG. 2 shows mature flowers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Sunbelriterra’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inHigashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The plant history was taken on 4-month oldplants which were planted as rooted cuttings in 15-cm pots in a springtrial setting in 2005 and grown outdoors in temperatures ranging between13° C. and 23° C. The plants were pinched once in April 2005.Observations were made when the plants were in full flower in June 2005.Color readings were taken under natural light in the greenhouse. Colorreferences are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.        -   Botanical.—Calibrachoa sp.        -   Common name.—Calibrachoa.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘20’, a proprietary dark red (RHS 46A)            flowered calibrachoa plant (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—‘35’, a proprietary cream-white (RHS 115A)            flowered calibrachoa plant (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Form.—Annual.        -   Habit.—Mounding, freely branching and vigorous.        -   Height (measured from the top of the soil).—14.2 cm.        -   Diameter.—50.0 cm.        -   Propagation.—Terminal tips for cutting.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—About 3 to 4            weeks for a 15-cm pot.        -   Keeping quality.—210 days.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Use in pots, hanging baskets or            planters and for use as ground cover; excellent tolerance to            rain and high temperatures; pinching of the terminal apices            enhances branching.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—7 days at 20° C. to 25°            C.        -   Time to produce rooted cutting or liner (young plant).—21            days at 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Light brown, fibrous, fine, fleshy and            free-branching.-   Stems:    -   -   Description.—Round in cross-section.        -   Number of branches.—30 lateral branches.        -   Length of lateral branches.—18.0 cm.        -   Diameter of lateral branches.—0.16 cm.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outward.        -   Stem color.—RHS 144A.        -   Internode length.—2.4 cm.        -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single leaves, 16 leaves per lateral            branch.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base—Cuneate.        -   Color (immature leaves).—Upper surface: RHS 137A. Lower            surface: RHS 147B.        -   Color (mature leaves).—Upper surface: RHS 137A. Lower            surface: RHS 147B.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Size.—Length: 4.7 cm. Width: 1.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic.        -   Texture.—Pubescent on both upper and lower surfaces.        -   Venation.—Type: Reticulate. Color (both upper and lower            surfaces): RHS 144C.        -   Petiole.—Length: 0.4 cm. Diameter: 0.7 cm. Color: RHS 144C.            Texture: Pubescent.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Color.—RHS 59B.        -   Shape.—Cylindrical.        -   Size.—Length: 2.3 cm. Diameter: 0.62 cm.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous from spring to late fall.        -   Inflorescence type.—Solitary flower, self-cleaning.        -   Arrangement.—Borne in upper leaf axils.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outward.        -   Shape.—Salverform.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Flower number (per flowering stem).—1 to 2.        -   Quantity of flowers and buds per plant.—220.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—7 to 10 days.        -   Peduncle.—Color: RHS 144B. Length: 2.1 cm. Diameter: 0.4 cm.            Texture: Pubescent.-   Flowers:    -   -   Size.—Height (flower depth): 2.6 cm. Diameter: 3.5 cm.        -   Corolla tube.—Shape: Tube-shaped. Diameter (proximal end):            0.37 cm. Diameter (distal end): 0.69 cm. Color outside: Near            RHS 11B with RHS 165B venation. Color inside: RHS 14B with            RHS 199A venation.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Composed of 5 fused petals arranged in            a single whorl. Shape: Spatulate. Size: Length: 1.4 cm.            Width: 1.7 cm. Apex: Rounded. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.            Color (when opening): Upper surface: RHS 18B with RHS 67A            splashed-patterns and venation. Lower surface: RHS 67B with            RHS 165B venation. Color (fully opened): Upper surface: RHS            18B with RHS 67A splashed-patterns and venation. Lower            surface: RHS 67B with RHS 165B venation. Texture (both upper            and lower surfaces): Smooth, satiny.        -   Calyx.—Form: Tubular, star-shaped. Length: 1.7 cm. Diameter:            1.4 cm.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl. Number: 5. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Size:            Length: 1.2 cm. Width: 0.21 cm. Color (immature): RHS 137C            (both upper and lower surfaces). Color (mature): RHS 137C            (both upper and lower surfaces).-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity: 5. Filament: Length: 0.5 cm to 1.0 cm.            Color: RHS 150D. Anther: Shape: Ellipsoid. Size: 0.10 cm.            Color: RHS 10B.        -   Pollen.—Amount: Moderate. Color: RHS 13C.        -   Pistil.—Quantity: One. Length: 0.94 cm.        -   Style.—Length: 0.84 cm. Color: RHS 144D.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Transversely ellipsoid. Color: RHS 143B.        -   Ovary color.—RHS 144C.-   Fruit and seed set: Seed production has not been observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: No particular resistance or    susceptibility to diseases or insects noted to date.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Sunbelriterra’ differs from the female parent ‘20’ (unpatented), byhaving yellow flowers with reddish-purple splash patterns, while ‘20’has dark red flowers. Additionally, ‘Sunbelriterra’ has a larger plantdiameter and a larger flower diameter than ‘20’.

‘Sunbelriterra’ differs from the male parent ‘35’ (unpatented), byhaving yellow flowers with reddish-purple splash patterns, while ‘35’has cream-white flowers. Additionally, ‘Sunbelriterra’ has a largerflower diameter than ‘35’.

‘Sunbelriterra’ is similar to the commercial variety ‘Sunbelchipi’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 10,355) however, there are differences as listed in Table1 below:

TABLE 1 Comparison of characteristics between ‘Sunbelriterra’ and‘Sunbelchipi’ Characteristic ‘Sunbelriterra’ ‘Sunbelchipi’ Plantdiameter 50.0 cm 40.0 cm Lateral branch 18.0 cm 15.0 cm length Internode2.4 cm 1.5 cm length Stem color RHS 144A RHS 144B with RHS N186Canthocyanin Leaf color Upper surface: RHS 137A Upper surface: RHS 137B(immature) Lower surface: RHS 147B Lower surface: RHS 137C Leaf colorUpper surface: RHS 137A Upper surface: RHS 137B (mature) Lower surface:RHS 147B Lower surface: RHS 137C Petiole length 0.4 cm 0.32 cm Quantityof 220 300 flowers and buds per plant Flower bud RHS 59B RHS 59C colorFlower 3.5 cm 3.3 cm diameter Petal color Upper surface: RHS 18B Uppersurface: RHS N57A (when opening) with RHS 67A splashed- Lower surface:RHS 66B patterns and venation with RHS N186C venation Lower surface: RHS67B with RHS 165B venation Petal color Upper surface: RHS 18B Uppersurface: RHS N66A (fully opened) with RHS 67A splashed- Lower surface:RHS N66C patterns Lower surface: RHS 67B with RHS 165B venation Corollatube 0.69 cm 0.77 cm diameter (distal end) Corolla tube RHS 14B with RHS199A RHS 9A with RHS N186C color (inside) venation venation Corolla tubeRHS 11B with RHS 165B RHS 150D with RHS color (outside) venation N186Cvenation Sepal length 1.2 cm 1.4 cm Sepal width 0.21 cm 0.26 cm Sepalcolor Upper surface: RHS 137C Upper surface: RHS 137B (immature) Lowersurface: RHS 137C Lower surface: RHS 137C Sepal color Upper surface: RHS137C Upper surface: RHS 137B (mature) Peduncle color RHS 144B RHS 143BAnther color RHS 10B RHS 16C

1. A new and distinct cultivar of calibrachoa plant as shown anddescribed herein.